The Substitute
by 7-Pistol
Summary: Hughes is more than a little upset with Ed's carelessness at Lab 5, and decides the best way to help Ed learn to use good judgment and heed the words of people who care about him, is with a reminder recklessness hurts. [Warning: This story contains a disciplinary/spanking theme, and the spanking of a minor.] Spanking Pair: Hughes/Ed. *This story is Gift Wrapped for achillies-eel*


_Disclaimer: This story contains corporal punishment / spanking of a minor_

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This story has been **Gift-Wrapped** and dedicated to achillies-eel. I sincerely hope you enjoy the read.

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_The Substitute  
_7-Pistol

Hughes had once been told that Lieutenant Ross was given a gerbil as a gag gift by several girlfriends her first year into the military. No talent for pets, it had gotten loose, eaten something that disagreed with it, and died. Rumor had it she cried, and because Hughes worked for the military's intelligence department, it wasn't just a rumor for him, it was fact. She had cried, over a small insignificant pet shop gerbil, because it had died as a result of her carelessness. She had turned her back, and it had executed itself doing what came naturally to it.

Second lieutenant Ross reported to Major Armstrong. She was not under Hughes's command, in fact, very few were under his command, because he was an Intelligence officer. He didn't specialize in combat, or even staff management, he specialized in facts and data response. So when he saw her face, her sorrow drenched, empty staring, expression, guarding the hospital door in wing E, he knew it was because she felt she had turned her back, and allowed something of the same inquisitive and trusting innocence to execute itself doing what came naturally to it.

Hughes approached her. It was late, nearly ten, and the hospital's large windows displayed black squares reflecting a fun house interpretation of the interior. Ross looked tired, and she was seated in a small wooden chair, with her arms crossed over her chest, and her motionless gaze locked on the floor tile before her. For the moment she had one job, and it was the same job she had last night: Watch the Fullmetal Alchemist. Armstrong was gracious enough not to pull her from that assignment after her and Sergeant Brosh had carried Ed from the collapsing fifth laboratory because he recognized a dedicated soldier when he saw one.

Ross looked up when Hughes appeared before her, both hands in his pockets, kind stoic expression on his face. "How is he?" Hughes asked softly.

She was startled with the sight of an officer visiting after work hours when you could otherwise be home with your family. Her mouth dipped open softly before she managed herself, and answered a quick, "Resting."

"Do you have his medical file?" Hughes asked. Ross shook her head. It was possible she had it available for Mustang, even though she wasn't permitted access to it. "What have they said?" Hughes asked, interested, very interested in: THE FACTS.

"That he was lucky," Ross said, a bitter tone of self blame in her voice.

Hughes looked toward the patient door before reaching out and grasping the handle. He gave Ross's worried expression a brief kind smile and entered.

Edward's hospital room was dark, and the bright hallway swept a strip of light into the spacious room. It was, before Edward's admittance, a two person room, but because a state alchemist involved in a military investigation could not be housed with a civilian, the second bed and related equipment was removed. Now the hospital twin housing the tiny curled lump that was Edward Elric looked like a piece of drift wood housing a battered shipwreck victim. It was oddly placed in the room, in neither corner, nor center. The unused privacy curtain hung from its ceiling track too close to the left side, because the patient-station had somehow been shoved too far to the right. It appeared the hospital orderlies had moved it to easily remove the rest of the furniture and never put it back.

Hughes stepped in and shut the door. He had a list of the facts, and what he knew was adding up. Edward was hospitalized, and injured, but not critically injured. His brother was also with him, and listed as critically injured. Second lieutenant Ross and Sergeant Brosh were on guard duty until Mustang arrived.

Hughes slid his gaze to the left where a shadowed lump crowded the corner in the sad and sorry slouch of a cracked and destroyed suit of armor. Politely covering unsightly lumps, and craters of missing body were taut cotton strips. The sight was pitiful, and Hughes turned his gaze away without a word. He understood the armor was reported not to sleep, but because he was sneaking into the room, there was a level of acceptance and understanding no conversation would be made. The armor didn't move, although its eyes were watching, and Hughes walked to Edward's bed. Along side of it an end table, inactive IV pole, and bedside table were hovering but that was all.

Ed was asleep, curled on his side. There were visible bandages on his flesh shoulder and head, and he was dressed in the hospital's pediatric pajamas. Vaguely Hughes thought of how Gracia would like them. The green fabric housed the print of little hopping frogs, and he could only imagine how Ed would hate them.

Hughes reached down and carefully drew Edward's blankets from his waist to his shoulders and tucked the boy in. He had a lot of questions about what happened. He needed the facts. He had a military report to file, but more so than that, he had a quiet but intensely burning flame inside him he needed to satisfy. Somehow, despite their best intentions, Edward had disobeyed orders, placed himself in danger, and suffered injury that could have been incredibly worse. While they had a military duty to protect the boy that couldn't be ignored, it was more than their failed responsibility that was haunting Hughes.

Hughes reached down and gently stroked Ed's bangs back from his forehead. They skidded about the bandages and then puffed back into place. Ed's breathing was soft, and snuggled into his pillow, he looked like Alicia: unprepared and too precious for subject to the cold world. Such a thing was cruel, so cruel it wouldn't even be properly understood. Hughes could imagine Ed, lifting his arms in defense to the fatal swinging blows that must have come at Laboratory five, while wondering why he was being hit.

Hughes turned his hand over and ghost his knuckles across Ed's forehead. The temperature was safe, and Hughes felt sick, sick with Ed's ignorance, their oversight, and the possibility, the very real and stark possibility, that what could have happened, might have injured or killed the boy. That thought fueled that small flickering flame of blue light inside him

It was anger, Hughes recognized it clearly. It was the same anger he felt rise up inside him when Alicia disobeyed and played too closely to the road where he had warned her not to go. It was anger born of foolishness, and something as great as cosmic waste for something loved. Burning this bright he wanted to address it, and he took his hand back and returned them to his pockets. He would come tomorrow, Edward's second day in the hospital, and talk to the boy after he talked to Roy.

* * *

Roy was miles from Central and over the phone sounded more than peeved with everything that had happened. "On top of everything," Roy was ranting. "To bring down the entire building!"

"I don't think little Ed was the one to bring it down when all was said and done Roy," Hughes said, keeping a chipper misleading tone. He was going to let Roy go first, let him get it all off his chest, and then take his turn.

"But god dammit Hughes, sometimes I think I am seeing red, and I am not being figurative. I think I could be allergic to his overwhelming stupidity and blatant disregard for my orders!" Roy was yelling now. "When I get my hands on him he is not going to be able to sit for a month!" Hughes broke a good-natured laugh. "And when he tries to weasel out of it, and promise nonsense, I am going to look him dead in the eye and say, I am allergic to this asinine routine Fullmetal." Hughes clenched his jaw, grinning like a clown. _Sometimes, Roy was a funny guy._ "So until this routine stops, I will make you allergic to your ass." That did it, and Hughes had to lower the phone for a quick laugh. Roy was still ranting, but it came in small muffles with loud punctuated declarations.

"Roy." Hughes returned the phone to his ear. "On that note, I wanted to review a copy of his medical report." Roy's rant silenced with a bit of confusion. It's not that there wasn't trust, there was, it's just that we didn't go breaking health information privacy rules often. "I need to talk to him about what happened, and aside from needing to know what medication he's on, which could alter his answers, I don't want him playing me like a sap."

Roy grunted a miserable scoff that said: _welcome to my world._

"He won't play anyone like a sap once I tear the skin off his rear," Roy said angrily. "I mean it Hughes, he reports in like he's supposed to, but I know my words are going in one ear and out the other. As soon as there is mention of that damn stone, he's gone."

"Ed needs to learn that at the root of desire is a burning lust he does not want to own," Hughes said, tone suddenly moving to frank angry. Roy silenced his bit of grumbling, and considered. "I am going to ask, because he does report to you…"

Roy already understood things and with a slightly humored, and slightly skeptical tone asked, "You're not planning to ask me to spank him yourself, are you?" Hughes gave the phone booth a sheepish grin. "Hughes, really?" Roy was beginning to laugh. "Look at my cute daughter, I can't kill a fly, Maes Hughes?" Roy was seriously beginning to laugh and Hughes's expression sunk with disgust.

"It was one fly," he said irritably. The fly had come into his office, bobbing, looping, and buzzing in an absolute circus. It needed to go, and Roy had shot out a murderous hand, with the catlike right-hand aggression that came only from a Flame Alchemist, when Hughes intervened.

"Let's just open a window," Roy said laughing. Hughes remembered opening his office window and trying to shew the fly out with a pad of paper. "Return it to which it came."

"I didn't say that," Hughes said, frowning. Roy was having a good time over this memory, and Hughes heard the man lean his forehead down and rest it to the top of the desk. "But I need to make sure Ed's not going to be too groggy or uncomfortable to focus when we speak."

"Don't change the subject," Roy said, grin audible in his voice. "I will get you access to his medical record, he's actually in much better shape than we could have hoped for." Roy chuckled a smug little sound, "Which is why I feel so confident smoking his tail for this."

"I haven't done…this kind of thing before, I mean, Alicia is so young, and being a girl…" Hughes trailed off, somehow, and in a confusing way, the gender made a big difference. "But I am…upset about this," Hughes said, voice going soft with true confession. He could say that he was upset, and that was accurate, but it meant something to speak it so plainly to another male officer. It meant he was more than a little bothered, he was a lot bothered. "He's young enough to be my son."

"Let's not start that," Roy said quickly, sounding miffed.

"He's too young to see a rated R movie, and probably has never kissed a girl."

"All the more reason to beat some sense into him," Roy said, only half joking. "If we wanted to stand and debate the appropriateness of either of us disciplining him we'd be here until the sun comes up, so all I will say is that, I trust your judgment." Hughes was silent, touched with the respect and faith of his friend. "You won't break him, even if he squirms around and makes a lot of noise." Roy chuckled again. "When he does that, I just give him a good one, low on his cheeks." Hughes made mental note. "Just make sure you explain things well, and if he's too…jittery about it, wait for me." Hughes nodded. He understood what this meant. That he was stepping into terrain that existed only between Roy Mustang and Edward Elric. He was popping in to visit like an uncle, and although he had the so called Father's blessing, Ed might still be understandably frazzled by another man trying to punish him. "No matter what happens," Roy said, playful tone back in his voice. "Just make sure you call and tell me all about it."

"Okay," Hughes agreed. He felt satisfied and supported by Roy's words, and hung up with a sense of triumphant justification. He hadn't realized how much he felt Ed needed to be disciplined over what happened, until he expressed it and received like-minded approval. It was relieving, and his anger became more comfortable and self assured, and he felt he could deal with it properly, in a controlled and careful way, to guide Ed for Ed's own benefit.

* * *

Hughes returned to the hospital the following afternoon and clearance to Ed's medical report was waiting for him. The hospital turned over the entire exam, and at the far end of wing E, Hughes flipped through it frowning. Roy was right, Ed wasn't on much medication. They had giving him a basic prescription pain killer and antibiotic upon admitting him, and hydrated him with an IV, but doctor's orders had stopped all three after the first day. They were initially nervous with the head injury, but now were not. Ed was approved to request aspirin if he wanted it, and was consistently granted the high dose he asked for, but nothing he was on would alter his mind.

Hughes found this very assuring, until flipping to the medical diagram of Edward's admission exam where a diagram of the male body had pen marks and circles to indicate where any noted injury existed. Most of them were mild after bandaging, but that wasn't the point. The generic bare diagram looked helpless printed on the page, and in every way it looked like Ed's body to Hughes. _Thin, vulnerable, and incapable of truly defending itself._

Hughes left the report at the E wing nurses' station and went to Ed's room. Ross was still stationed outside and he gave her a polite smile before entering.

Hughes didn't knock, and the change from the dark quiet room, to a bright one where Ed was awake was welcomed. The room was still quiet, the armor was still in the corner, but a box of tissues, comic book, and several small action figures had collected in Ed's bed at his side. In bed Ed was propped up with pillows. His frog print pajamas were now a genderless sea green, and he was playing. Over his stomach he was holding two action figures and they looked to be fighting with each other, before the door opened, and Ed looked up.

"Major," Ed said, a smile sweeping his face. He pushed his toys aside, and sat up with a look of excitement. "What brings you here?"

_What in deed._ Hughes let a wide customary smile run from ear to ear, and loudly announced, "Hello boys! I thought I would just stop in and see how you're doing."

Ed gave a small nod, and glanced to Alphonse before saying, "We're okay."

"That is great to hear," Hughes said, before back peddling out the door and closing it again. He held the doorknob and exhaled down to it. He was nervous, somehow, he was nervous with what he wanted to do, and he turned and looked at Ross who appeared puzzled with his actions. "The armor," Hughes said, before correcting himself, "Alphonse."

"Yes sir."

"Is he in the condition that can be moved? I'd like to talk to Ed alone."

Ross fell silent, contemplating this with a small frown before nodding. "I am sure we can, just give me a moment." She stood to leave before hesitating. _She turned her back on the gerbil for only a second…_ "You…you will be staying with the boys in my absence, right?" she asked.

Hughes smiled warmly. "I won't leave their sight." She was relieved, and flashed a quick embarrassed smile before heading down the hall.

Hughes reentered the room confidently. Ed was still sitting up and was in conversation with Al, before silencing with a quick, "What happened Major, where did you go?"

Hughes waved this off dramatically. "I thought I heard someone call my name," he lied. He approached Ed's bed with his hands on his hips, and the sight of the boy's comic book and small toys pained him. "Ed, the lieutenant just left to get some help so Alphonse can be moved out of the room for a moment." Ed grew an alarmed look of surprise. "For just a moment," Hughes said kindly, before looking over to the armor. "Alphonse, it's a beautiful day today! This hospital has a large indoor greenhouse on the first floor, I'll ask the lieutenant to give you a tour." He flashed a bright grin to the armor's unchanging face, and from inside Alphonse muttered a small sound of acknowledgement.

"I am not sure if Alphonse should be moved right now," Ed said quickly, looking worried. "He's pretty banged up major."

"You're pretty banged up yourself," Hughes said, tone dropping to one of scolding anger before he could control himself.

Ed gave a quick uncomfortable smile and muttered a soft, "That's true." He lowered his gaze to his lap, before recovering and throwing the armor a comforting smile. "Let me know how the garden is Al, I'd like to see it too." Alphonse didn't respond to this and Ed soured with a bit of depression. His flesh hand migrated to the side of his blanket and he plucked at it gently.

"Are you feeling okay Ed? Want me to get you anything?" Hughes asked, studying the boy. Ed was skin and bones inside his pajamas, but he gave a small shake of his head. "Have you had lunch already?" Ed nodded. "What did you have?"

"Tomato soup," Ed said softly, before forcing himself to seem more chipper. "They love to stuff you full of liquids when you're in the hospital. I really could have gone for something spicy. Like a good rice, or maybe some salami, but you know," Ed gave a weak shrug. "Hospital food."

Ross returned, and knocked gently before her and Brosh helped move Alphonse onto a maintenance dolly. The armor's body was far easier to move with so much of it missing, and Ed watched this with a tired look of gloom.

"Be extra careful with him!" Hughes said, waving goodbye and preparing to close the door as they left. "I hear they have one of those flowers that catches bugs, try and see that one."

Hughes shut the door behind Brosh and the room fell silent. Ed was sitting in bed looking tired, and watched Hughes return and take the only empty stool along side it. "So, what's this all about?" Ed asked, remotely curious.

"I wanted us to be able to talk about everything that happened," Hughes said, studying the automail arm. Ed's medical report said it was in a sling, but Ed wasn't wearing one. "Isn't that supposed to be in a sling?" he asked.

Ed grunted miserably. "It's uncomfortable in a sling. I've had dead arms on me before, so it's no big deal." Ed met Hughes gaze. "What's this really about." He sounded certain it would be something he was dreading.

"We're upset with what happened," Hughes said, surprising himself when he included Mustang.

Ed averted his gaze as if he expected as much. "Upset about the…laboratory or…maybe…" Ed said softly.

"Upset you're in the hospital," Hughes said, propping an elbow onto Ed's nightstand to sit more comfortably. "Upset you need to be hospitalized." Ed didn't say anything. "Why do you think that is?" he asked. _Alicia, why does daddy not want you to play by the road?_

"It's inconvenient?" Ed said dully, certain this was the wrong answer.

"How do you feel about disobeying your orders and ending up here?" Hughes asked kindly.

Ed's expression soured and he glanced back to Hughes with something hinting at annoyance. "Is Roy coming to see me?"

"Roy is not happy about all this."

"Is he coming to see me?" Ed asked, becoming angry. He turned to face Hughes and frowned at the man. "No one gave me orders that kept me from the lab, the second lieutenant does not outrank me."

"Maybe she should."

"What the hell does that mean?" Ed snapped, sitting up a bit straighter. "Are you going to take away my certification?" The leap from Hughes's suggestion to demotion was childish, but Ed didn't see it. He didn't see how difficult it was to be stripped of his title for something so stupid, all he understood was that he was in trouble, and when you were in trouble you had something taken away as punishment. "Did the colonel say that?"

"Ed, for the moment, I am the one talking to you, not the colonel," Hughes said, firming his tone to one of seriousness. _When I say don't play by the road…_ "The lieutenant has reported to me she requested both you and Alphonse stay in your room because the laboratory was too dangerous, and that they would scout it out and report their findings to you." Ed scowled, as if this were a joke. "So you disobeyed that request and put yourself in danger."

"Because that's exactly what it was," Ed snapped. "A request. She doesn't outrank me! I didn't disobey any orders. Mustang said I could look for the stone! I need to find it and I will, this was just an accident." Hughes let his displeasure show on his face. "Lots of it wasn't my fault." Hughes let his gaze darken into a scolding and Ed recoiled and averted his eyes again. "Fine, whatever," Ed muttered sourly.

"I am so upset you did this," Hughes said honestly, lowering his tone to true sincerity. Ed choked with the sudden verbal slap, and whirled to face Hughes wide eyed.

"Why!"

"Because it suggests you don't value your life enough to be wary of danger." Hughes glanced down and rested his hands on his knees. He linked his fingers and sighed. "When Alicia plays in the front lawn, I worry she'll get too close to the road. I've told her repeatedly, she can't go past the rose bush." Ed wrinkled his nose with offense, twisting his expression with deep agitation. "She's done it twice, even though I've told her she can be hit with a car."

"Hughes, I think I want to rest for a little bit," Ed said, politely saying: Get out of here.

Hughes looked up and ignored this. "Each time she has, I've taken her inside and sat her in the corner for two minutes of time-out."

Ed jerked back where he sat. This conversation was not lost on him, and he was hideously angry. "So what!" he snapped. "You saying you want to put me in the corner!" Ed reached forward and shoved his tissue box away with anger. "For chasing after the stone! Like I said I was going to, and was told I could! When I didn't disobey a single order!" Ed huffed a deep unsettled breath, squirming with his own discomfort because he knew he did something reckless, and he knew everyone was thinking it. "I want to lay down for a while, can you please leave?" he asked angrily.

"I spoke to Mustang last night," Hughes said, changing the subject quickly without missing a beat. "I told him Alicia, and it's her birthday tomorrow by the way Ed, don't forget to get her a present."

"Okay, I won't!" Ed snapped angrily. "Now just go!"

Hughes lifted a finger, to continue his thought, and said, "Roy and I were talking, and I mentioned how I've been rather a mess with her getting so close to the road." Ed groaned as if he just couldn't handle this any longer. He looked to the door, preying for a nurse or someone to interrupt this torture. Hughes was being crazy, prattling on about his daughter, but making him feel awful about what had happened. "I told Roy, in not so many words, that because she's so young, and also just a sweet little girl, I don't really have a lot of practice disciplining kids."

"I am going to be sick," Ed said angrily.

Hughes lifted his gaze and locked it with Ed's. His kind look disappeared for one of empowered intention and he said, "But that hasn't stopped me from understanding exactly what type of discipline you need." Hughes let these words hang in the air. Ed was silent with them, and a look of weariness entered his gaze. "Roy is rightfully hot, and he plans on getting out here as soon as he can." Ed's brow gave a small flicker of dread he knew exactly what that meant, and was suspiciously uncomfortable Hughes did as well. "But I told him, not to worry and not to rush."

"You did?" Ed asked uneasily.

Hughes nodded. "I did." He sat up and took a deep breath before resting his palms on either knee. "You know what you did, and you know what you deserve for it, don't you Ed," Hughes said softly. Ed tore his face away. He tipped it straight down with his back going straight. "I don't need to spell it out for you. Order or no order, think of this mess." Hughes gestured to where Alphonse had been placed. "Look at the state of your brother's body, look at the state of your own body." Ed flinched with this heartfelt jab, and lifted his head to look at Alphonse's corner. His expression was crippled with guilt and sorrow.

"Yeah, but I…" Ed muttered softly, before turning to Hughes with a look of worry. "Hughes." Ed shook his head quickly. "Don't do it," he whispered, cringing. "Please?" Hughes paused with a bit of surprise Ed had leapt to the correct conclusion so quickly, and was pleading to get out of it. He thought back to Roy's words last night, and Roy hadn't said anything about begging. Was it possible Roy didn't find Ed's innocent face of dread as convincing as Hughes did, or was it because Ed's routine with Mustang was different.

Ed might simply be begging to escape any form of punishment. "Don't do what?" Hughes asked, a bit uncertain they were on the same page.

They were. Ed's expression twisted with a bit of disgust Hughes was playing stupid, and he went to speak, stopped himself with uncertainly, and then just spit it out. "Spank me," Ed said, a pink blush exploding in his cheeks. "Don't spank me, please don't." Ed was shaking his head slowly. "I know Mustang is mad." So Ed thought the order came from Mustang. That Mustang was sending someone in his place because he couldn't arrive fast enough.

"No one said you were going to be spanked," Hughes said.

Ed again huffed a fast angry breath. "Stop messing around, that's exactly what you're saying!" Ed said angrily. "But this was an accident, please don't do it for an accident," Ed said, breaking a small whine. "What did Mustang say?"

"Nothing," Hughes said, giving a shrug.

Ed's look of concern washed away for a startled blank stare. _Nothing? _Hughes gave a second shrug of his shoulders. "He didn't ask me to do this." Ed's mouth twitched with the desire to speak, but confusion silenced him. Hughes filled in the blanks. "I called him, because he is your direct report, and asked him politely if he minded that I spank you today, because I think you need it, and I think you deserve it, and," Hughes said, cracking a soft smile. "I think you agree with me and that's why you're getting all worked up."

Ed sputtered a soft gut impacting sound, and scooted away from Hughes in his bed. Hughes was shocked, and broke a quick laugh when Ed slid to the other side of it and made a move to climb out before hesitating.

"Ed, what are you doing?" Hughes said, standing up. Ed couldn't flee while in the hospital, but it was starkly clear Ed wanted to do just that. At the very least, Ed felt the need to stand up, but his body was tired and achy, and his hospital orders were to stay in bed.

Hughes broke another good-natured laugh, and carried his chair to the far corner before placing it there facing the wall. "All right now," Hughes said, returning to the bed and skirting to Ed's side where the boy sat at the edge. Ed looked up with wide eyes, and shrunk back when Hughes gently took Ed's flesh arm. "Can you get out of bed all right?"

"Hughes, please let's just talk about this," Ed said, breaking into a whining tone Hughes had never heard. _Daddy, I won't go near the road again._

"Come on and answer me," Hughes said, bending down to be eye level. "Are you okay on your feet?" Ed nodded reluctantly. "I want you to get up and stand along the bed here," Hughes said, helping Ed out with a cautious grip on his arm. "Just stand up, don't go anywhere."

Ed pushed his blankets off and the boy's feet were bare. He slid off the edge of his mattress and stood up slowly. The metal foot looked foreign and the flesh looked cold under the baggy hospital pants, but Ed seemed stable.

Hughes felt he needed to verify Ed's balance was okay, and the boy wasn't in pain on his feet, before he could move forward. Careful, he kept his grip light but ready on Ed's arm, and his gaze watchful until Ed looked up for more directions. "What happened the night the lab collapsed?" Hughes asked, keeping a serious tone.

"Alphonse and I cracked a code we were trying to break," Ed said softly, staring up at Hughes looking thin as a rail in his hospital pajamas. "We figured out laboratory five seemed highly probable for the military to still be…utilizing research to construct a stone they wouldn't want the populace to be aware of." Hughes nodded, this was fitting Ross's description. "Second lieutenant Ross, and Sergeant Brosh were there, and when we decided to go investigate they said they would instead."

"That's when Ross told you to stay in your room?" Hughes asked, scolding Ed with his tone. Ed didn't answer, but his look of worry increased. "Ed?" Hughes asked, giving Ed's arm a tiny shake.

"Yeah."

"And did you?"

"No."

"And was that wise?" Ed fell silent again, and Hughes gave an understanding nod. He took Ed around his hospital bed by his arm, and Ed was cooperating until he realized they were approaching the chair Hughes had set in the corner.

"Hughes!" Ed protested at once, and pressed his heels to the floor. "I know it was a mistake, okay! It was an accident!" Hughes ignored the resistance, and carefully dragged Ed toward the chair, until Ed reached back and grabbed the edge of his hospital bed yanking taut. "It was an accident!" Ed cried. Hughes turned around with a bit of surprise. "I shouldn't be in trouble for an accident!"

Hughes dropped to a knee and released Ed's arm. Immediately Ed moved to grip the bed with both hands. "Ed, an accident is something you cannot control or avoid, and…that's not really the case here, is it?" Hughes asked softly.

Ed gave his head a quick shake. "Yeah, but don't spa—"

"I am going to spank you," Hughes said gently, interrupting and giving a single firm nod of confirmation. Ed's face was blushing hotly and the boy looked on the verge of tears hearing this. "Okay, I am going to spank you, but first you need to think a little harder about what happened, and what you did."

Hughes opened his arms for a hug, and let them hang for a second, so there was no way for Ed to confuse the meaning of the embrace, before wrapping them about Ed's stick thin body. "Come on kiddo," he said kindly, hugging Ed to his chest so the boy's chin was resting on his shoulder. Ed wouldn't let go of the bed, and the boy's arms were locked within Hughes's when he gave a soft uncomfortable sound. "I want you to know I am very mad at you Ed," Hughes said softly. "But mad in a very specific way." Ed dropped the bed with his flesh arm and returned the hug with it. He latched on tightly, and Hughes smiled. Ed smelled like hospital soap, and even with so many years under his belt, fit into adult arms as easily as Alicia. "Come on, drop the bed, and give me a hug."

"If I let it go you're going to spank me," Ed argued miserably.

"When you let it go," Hughes corrected smiling, "I am going to give you a nice hug, and then you're going to sit in the corner and think about things."

"Like your daughter!" Ed cried into Hughes shoulder. Hughes could hear Ed's embarrassment in his voice and he broke out laughing softly. "I am not two! Don't sit me in the corner like your daughter!" Hughes gently detached Ed's automail hand from the bed, and it wrapped about Hughes torso at once. Ed squeezed hungrily, and Hughes rested a hand in the boy's hair.

"Mustang is going to be so mad at me," Ed whined.

"Mustang, Mustang," Hughes complained. "I am the one here to spank you and all you can think of is Mustang." This more than anything else blew Hughes's mind. Whatever Roy had done, he had seeded himself to Ed's core. The boy was going to belong to Mustang for life.

"Well, you don't seem like you'll spank too hard," Ed confessed softly, resting on Hughes shoulder. "And…Mustang doesn't hug." Hughes gave Ed's back a humored pat. _What a thing to say. _He'd have to work hard to change his weak spanking impression, and later tease Mustang fiercely.

Hughes gave Ed a warm squeeze and then disengaged. "Okay," he said, leveling his gaze. Ed looked much better after the hug, and suddenly Hughes realized that Ed was jittery before, just like Mustang had said. Ed was nervous but now a part of him seemed resigned to his fait and Hughes wondered how long Ed was exhibiting the signs Mustang would have seen right away. "Go sit in the chair, and there is no talking and no moving, when you've had enough, I'll let you know it's time to get out." Ed was glaring sullenly, but he didn't argue. When Hughes let go Ed left him in a slow delicate walk and crossed the room. He slid into the chair so he was facing the corner and was silent.

Hughes was impressed. Ed looked just like Alicia sitting obediently in the corner, and he glanced about for the best way to do the hardest part. He went to the door and locked it. He returned to Ed's bed and pulled the pillows into the middle so they would be in easy reach if needed. He moved the comic book and toys aside, and set the box of tissues on the nightstand in easy reach. He planned to keep things simple. He was going to use his hand and that was all. Ed was a young boy, and at this age, Hughes didn't think Ed needed anything else.

Hughes took a seat on the side of Ed's hospital bed and looked at the boy. Ed had his hands resting in his lap and was staring at them. "What are you thinking about Ed?" Hughes asked.

Ed bristled and tipped his head a bit lower before muttering, "That I…should have been…more careful to avoid unnecessary danger."

This was the correct answer, and Hughes followed with a, "Why?" Ed shifted his weight uncomfortably and was silent. This was a harder answer, and Hughes had the suspicion that even if Ed knew it, he wouldn't answer. "Because there are people who…" Hughes said, leading with an expectant tone.

"There are people who…" Ed repeated softly.

"…care…about…" Hughes said.

"…who care about me," Ed said, voice almost too soft to hear. He shifted again, and sniffled heavily.

"And want you to be safe," Hughes said, smiling with satisfaction. Ed maintained his silence. "Okay, enough time in the corner, come over here." Ed slid from the chair and looked back at Hughes with pink tear filled eyes. Hughes felt his resolve wobble, and frantically tried to get a hold of himself. He had to remain strong and do this well, or else his words would lose some of their credibility.

Hughes gave his knee a pat and repeated, "Come over here, Ed."

Ed looked at the patting hand with immediate understanding. He was going over Hughes's knee for his spanking, and his blush became worse. Hughes saw Ed's ears start turning pink and the boy reached back to his rear and gave it a single rub of trepidation before quickly crossing the room and standing before Hughes's knees.

Hughes gave Ed's tear filled eyes a wide smile. "When we're done, we can have another long hug," he said softly, and part of Ed's expression crumbled and the boy's bottom lip began wobbling.

"I—I can go back to the corner," Ed said, whispering with his voice cracking into a whine any time he lifted it. Ed pointed behind himself shyly. "Please don't do it." Ed might have been resolved, but he was still twelve, and didn't want to be spanked. "I know what I should have done."

Hughes nodded kindly. "It will be over before you know it," he said, before getting comfortable. He jogged his weight from side to side, so Ed would understand he was now ready, before asking, "Are you wearing underwear under those pajamas?"

Ed's blush was turning his cheeks into cherries, and he gave a small broken nod. "Yeah but…" Ed muttered, before sniffling. "They're not mine. They cut my clothes off with scissors when they brought me in and I haven't had a chance to fix them with alchemy yet." Ed lifted his hand and gave his nose a wipe when it started running. His eyes were sitting completely full of tears and Hughes were impressed they weren't falling.

"But they gave you new ones?" Hughes asked, double checking.

"Yeah, briefs," Ed said, with a bit of repugnance. "White briefs." Hughes chuckled. "I like black, and I wear boxers." Ed complained. "I look like a…" and here Ed stopped, suddenly confused he was going to complain about looking like a two year old when he was standing before the knee he was going to be put over.

Hughes heard this clearly, and continuing his small unoffending laugh, gave Ed's chin a playful nudge and said, "We'll get your boxers to you soon, now let's have you push your pants down to your knees."

Ed broke into immediate whining and buckled his knees in protest while softly squeaking out a protesting, "How come I have to do that, Mustang doesn't make me do that, come on I am too old for that, don't take my pants down Hughes."

"I am not Mustang," Hughes said firmly. He wanted that to end now. "Today, this is you and me. Now pants to our knees." He pointed downward, and whining miserably Ed pressed his hospital pajamas down his thighs and then looked back up with his face a stove top. Ed's scrawny thighs led up into his hospital top like two flesh colored stalks, and Hughes nodded and then gently grasped Ed's arm. "Over my knee, we'll rest your chest on the bed," he said, helping Ed to bend over his right thigh. It was flush to the bed, so Ed could comfortably lay on the mattress, with his feet on the floor. Hughes didn't want any unnecessary stress being put on Ed's frame with him recently injured, and once in place, swept Ed's hospital top up his back to his shoulders.

Ed shuttered at once, and sent a hand back to his white rear. He was nothing but a skin colored twig, and the hospital underwear were tiny y-front briefs made for little boys and clearly displayed Ed's small cheeks in tight white cotton. Ed stretched his flesh palm over them with immediate embarrassment and dread when they were exposed and Hughes adjusted Ed's wrist back to the bed.

"Are we going to have a problem with our hands?" Hughes asked firmly, laying a palm on Ed's lower back.

"No," Ed said quickly, repositioning his hand up by his face. "How many do I have to have?" Ed asked, sounding mortified. The boy's vulnerable rear was trembling on Hughes's knee, and Hughes had raised a hand to begin when this question surprised him. _How many?_

"As many as you need," he said, continuing the lift.

"How many is that!"

Hughes paused, with his hand raised, and felt a blossom of annoyance. How many, how the hell could he possibly know? He had assumed he would feel when it was enough and just end then. Angrily he asked, "Do you want more time in the corner Ed?"

Ed shook his head and squeaked a fast "No sir!"

_No sir?_ Hughes thought. _Man, Mustang was good_. Ed had curled both hands up by his face, and was staring into the hospital sheets with his pajama bottoms down and his small rear waiting obediently over Hughes's knee for his spanking. _Mustang was damn good!_

Hughes lowered his raised hand in a smooth controlled arc and let Ed's cheeks have a solid, but painless, blow. With their difference in size his palm fit across both of them like a paddle and Ed flinched and gasped as soon as he was struck, but didn't move. Hughes knew the impact wouldn't sting the boy, but he thought it best to start slow. He gave Ed a few seconds to digest before lifting his hand and repeating.

That was all there was to it, repeat, repeat, repeat. He increased his strength gradually, until he reached the strength he planned to use for the entire spanking, and Ed was good. Seated at an angle Hughes had a safe view of Ed's entire body, and watched the boy slowly grit his teeth. Ed had his eyes closed and was remaining perfectly silent and motionless while his raised backside took its blow. As the sting built he flinched with each slap, and inside his briefs his little cheeks clenched and pinched for hopeful resistance. Next came slowly controlled exhales Ed was blowing through his pursed lips, and his clenched fists were twisting the bed sheets.

"Good boy Ed," Hughes said, continuing his spanking. The sound of it was a deafened palm striking a fabric surface. Hughes was impressed with Ed's behavior, and imagined the boy bent over Mustang's knee forcing himself to endure while Mustang landed caring punishment until Ed's cheeks were red.

Hughes spanking had been repeat, repeat, repeat, a flat palm over both Ed's cheeks, but he changed his tactic for what he considered the second stage of the spanking. He turned his palm to an angle and began one cheek at a time. Ed startled, and cried out a soft painful, "Ooh," when this happened, and the boy's waist began trembling. Hughes landed five before taking a break.

He gave a heavy exhale and shook his hand to loosen it up from its stiff position. Ed was motionless, until he felt the movement, and then he tried to get up. Hughes stopped this with a strong hand to Ed's back.

"Not so fast Ed, we're just taking a quick breather," Hughes said kindly. He lifted his hand and said, "Go ahead and stand, but you're not done." Ed climbed up slowly, hissing with the sting in his rear, and cracked a worried eye as if wondering if he had misjudged Hughes's spanking talents while resting on his feet. "That sting?" Hughes asked, smiling as Ed slipped a hand back and rubbed slowly at his bottom. Ed's expression was tight with displeasure. "Good," Hughes said firmly, letting his anger show. There was nothing wrong with being kindhearted when issuing punishment, but part of the scolding still needed to be there. "You knew better, do you understand?" he said harshly. Ed was startled with the sudden reprimanding, and the boy's pink eyes widened a bit. "You knew better, and you didn't listen to your own head, let alone the people around you who tried to help you." Ed dropped his gaze to the floor with his bottom lip wobbling. "You know you're being spanked today because you knew better, don't you?"

"Yes," Ed whispered softly.

"Good, now push your underwear down to your pants." Ed's head snapped up with wide begging eyes, but Hughes ignored this. "No, you're not getting any sympathy Ed. You wanted to act like a spoiled disobedient little boy, reckless, and putting shame to his own intelligence, then now you will be spanked like one."

These words were overwhelming for Ed. With his face blushing hotly below his tear filled eyes and his bottom aching from Hughes's chastising hand, to be upended from the knee he was just spanked over, and scolded so harshly, Ed started crying.

Hughes was surprised but kept it from his face. Ed didn't burst out sobbing, but he tipped his head down, and started soft quiet sniffling while pushing his underwear to his thighs. Ed did this carefully. His pajama top kept his waist covered, and Ed didn't want it uncovered. Hughes kept his face an angry frown as Ed's thin white cotton dropped to his thighs and slipped to his knees. He was going to be serious in stage two of his spanking. He was going to make sure Ed saw the severity of his actions. "Over," he said firmly, readying his knee. Ed stepped up to it, sniveling, and bent himself back onto the bed. "Raise up to your toes," Hughes ordered, tone merciless but not unkind. Ed whined into the bed and pulled his flesh hand over his head sniffling. "Ed," Hughes scolded. "Up to your toes, right now." Ed lifted to his toes, and the effect jutted his pink rear upward and made his cheeks tight. "Hold that position," Hughes said, sweeping Ed's pajama top back to his shoulders, with Ed's naked cheeks visibly trembling. They were evenly pink, and looked victim to a woman's spanking. Hughes laid his hand on Ed's lower back and lifted his palm so he could give Ed a man's spanking. A hot painful reminder to exercise good judgment, and he planned to follow Mustang's advice if Ed squirmed and yelled.

Hughes brought his first slap down on the right cheek, and Ed bounced. On his toes, instinct was to push up higher in alarm, and Ed did, causing his tiny rump to hop. Hughes found this mildly comical and landed the same slap to the left. The same hop came again, but it was largely restrained. Ed was fighting the instinct. He didn't like it, and Hughes smiled before setting his focus and beginning.

Ed was tiny, easy to hold, and easy to spank. One palm was one cheek from top to bottom, and that made each blow thorough and painful for the boy. On bare skin Hughes's palm came down with a mighty crack, and Ed was squeezing the hospital sheets for all his worth. His tiny red backside was shaking with endurance as it pointed up to the ceiling being walloped, but he was impressively silent. He didn't begin making noise until he had seven on bare skin, and it came in a quick grunted gasp. Hughes knew this was the beginning and ignored the effect of his hand. Ed began gasping and choking a grunt with each blow before whining between them. He dropped his right leg to stand flat, and Hughes gave Ed's thigh a scolding slap.

"Up on our toes," Hughes said firmly. Ed shot back up, whining heavily, but pointing his cheeks up as high as they would go. They were turning a dark red stretched well and presented accessible. "I hope this is the last time I hear of this type of poor judgment," Hughes said, continuing his slaps. Directly after these words, Ed began soft crying into the bed and gave his first complaint.

"Ow," Ed whined, pressing his face into the mattress. "Ow!"

"It does hurt," Hughes confirmed, spanking on. "Recklessness hurts people."

"Ow! Ow—ow, please," Ed cried, dropping from his toes to hop from either foot. He wagged his rear to the far right, as if he could stretch it from reach and Hughes gave both cheeks a punishing slap. "Ow! Ah," Ed cried, lifting his head from the mattress to breath. "Ow—it hurts, I am sorry!" Hughes ignored this. "Please stop spanking me!" Ed cried, continuing his dance.

Hughes looped his arm about Ed's waist to hold it still, and lifted the boy off his feet. Ed curled his legs up crying, and began smacking the mattress with his flesh hand while Hughes continued spanking.

Ed's thin and tiny rear was a hot pulsing red, something that would keep the boy wincing each time he sat and uncomfortable in his hospital bed. Ed's medical report said his release was scheduled in two days, and Hughes wanted his spanking to last painfully for those two days. He felt that would help drive the message home and give Ed something to think about as he was left in bed nursing his sore cheeks until discharge.

"Hughes, I am sorry!" Ed wailed, kicking his legs as the spanking continued. "I am sorry! I'll go back to the corner!" Ed was crying pitifully. "Ow—ow, please—ow!" Hughes slowed his spanking, like a motor winding down, and Ed was sobbing into the bed. Each slap brought a loud, "Ow!" and sob, but as they grew sparse, Ed dropped his legs so they hung with his pants and underwear at his knees below his burning skin and let Hughes rub.

"You're sorry?" Hughes asked.

"Sorry!" Ed repeated, crying his word into the mattress. Hughes rubbed his hand gently across Ed's cheeks and the boy was twitching and curling his legs up slowly. "Ow, Hughes, ow, it's so hot, ow."

"What should you have done?" Hughes asked, curious.

"Stayed in my room! Stayed safe!" Ed screamed, hissing when Hughes gave the bottoms of Ed's cheeks a kind pet. "I will stay safe! I will use good judgment!" Ed howled, and Hughes felt satisfied. He set Ed down on his feet and Ed reached back and grabbed at his bottom. He stayed in place, bent over Hughes knee, and shuffled from foot to foot with his flesh hand scrubbing gently. "Ow, this hurts a lot! This was awful!" Ed cried.

"Was I a weak spanker?" Hughes asked, and Ed shook his head wildly, tiny bottom quivering with chastisement. "How do I compare to Roy?" Ed didn't answer this and kept on crying until Hughes tugged the boy up. He lifted Ed to his feet, and then took Ed to his shoulder in a hug.

Ed had his teeth grit and was crying audible sobs in his throat. He latched on tight for the hug, but couldn't stop his dance. Hughes began a soft reassuring pat on Ed's back and whispered a soft, "Good boy Ed, relax now." It was over, and Ed knew it was time for the hug he had been promised and buried into Hughes shoulder. He sobbed for five minutes, and then was rubbing his smoldering skin again. "You took that really well," Hughes said, disengaging and turning Ed to the side. He wanted to see the boy's rear with him standing. Sniffling, Ed looked back over his shoulder and studied it as well. It sat like a cherry on whipped cream, a red blotch in the middle of white, and Ed bent his knees and reached back scrubbing with both hands.

Hughes watched, giving Ed a few moments to collect himself. Ed was engrossed with rubbing his rear, and was whining and continuing to cry, before dragging his underwear up slowly. Ed pulled it discretely into his pajama top, and corrected the front of himself, but was reluctant to ease his rear inside. Hughes helped. Reaching forward and tugging the back of the tiny white briefs over Ed's ruby cheeks with a soft, "There we go."

Ed whined, but allowed this, and snatched his pants quickly before Hughes could help, and fit them on himself. Hughes plucked a few tissues from Ed's nightstand and offered them to the boy with Ed hiccupping and still rubbing with his flesh hand. The automail took them and crushed them to Ed's face in no order. Ed scrubbed the middle, getting his nose and eyes at the same time before lowering them with a tense swallow and asking, "Can I get back in bed now?"

Hughes smiled. He stood and took Ed's blankets down before helping the boy crawl back in. Ed was hissing with every move, and hung tight to his tissues as he situated himself on his stomach. He was sniffling consistently, and Hughes tucked the blankets up to Ed's shoulders with Ed facing away from him and managing with tissues. It seemed Ed was ready to unwind and spend some time to himself, and Hughes felt satisfied with how things went. He gave the blankets their last tuck and stepped back to retreat when Ed's hand reach out and snatched his own. Hughes was startled, and stared down at the thin metal hand gripping him tightly, before petting Ed's head.

"I was careful Ed," Hughes said softly, stroking the boy's head. "It will sting, but that's all." Ed continued sniffling and dabbing at his eyes. "Your judgment is the most important thing you have, and you can't ever forget," Hughes took his hand from Ed's hair. "There are people…" he trailed off, and waited.

Ed couldn't seem to reign in his passive crying, and his flesh hand was holding tight to his pillow before he whispered, "…people who care about me."

Hughes smiled. He placed the automail hand in the bed, gave Ed's back on last pat, and excused himself. Outside Ed's door Ross was sitting in her chair with her jaw on the floor. Undoubtedly she heard what he had done, and Hughes was a little stunned. His decision to spank Ed seemed only something he had to report to Roy. The obvious fact Ed's guard would hear, and the hospital was sure to notice a sudden bright red patch of skin on Ed's body, seemed idiotically secondary.

Hughes shut the door and remained silent. Ross stared at him, and he stared back. Spanking children was common enough, he wasn't expecting ridicule from her, but being honest with himself he didn't know what he was expecting. Ed was the first child he had spanked.

Ross broke the silence with a soft, "Sir." She looked at a loss for words, and glanced at Ed's door, as if she felt need to check on him.

"I wouldn't do that lieutenant," Hughes said, tone impressively confident. "You'll only embarrass him."

"Sir."

Hughes left, and went to reception to use the phone. He called Roy and described the event briefly. He gave what he thought were the most important parts, that Ed had seemed resigned, but was jittery, that he sat the boy in the corner first, and that Ed was still crying when he left.

Roy found Hughes means of inflicting Alicia's household punishment on Ed funny, and laughed loudly. Hughes was additionally relieved to hear a comfortable tone of approval in Roy's voice as he spoke, and felt proud, as if he had done a good job and done a good thing. He had thought every process through, to be mindful of Ed's injuries, size, personality, and give the boy just discipline, without hurting any part of him physically or emotionally.

"You probably over thought things if anything," Roy said, still sounding humored. "Ed's a lot tougher than he lets on. You spoiled him."

"I don't think that is how he would describe it," Hughes said, smiling.

"I'll be out there in just shy of fifty hours, and then I'll have to judge the situation for myself," Roy said. Hughes could hear paperwork shuffling across Roy's desk. "Seems a bit double jeopardy to spank him myself, so I am glad it sounds you were able to be thorough." The sound of shuffling papers stopped abruptly "Hughes, you _were _brave enough to take his pants down weren't you?" Roy asked, sounding skeptically cautious, and worried Ed might have received a scolding below impact-leaving standards.

"Sure," Hughes said, a bit confused.

"All of them?" Roy asked, tone still skeptical.

"Yeah. I did a bit with his underwear up, and finished with them down, but I thought you didn't do that."

"Do what?"

"Take down his pants."

"He said that?" Roy asked, before chuckling happily when Hughes confirmed. "I told you Hughes, he's tricky." Roy gave a brief laugh, sounding almost proud of Ed's wise-ass streak, before adding a pleased and confident, "His pants come down, every time."

* * *

To all, I hope you enjoyed!

Hughes and Ed are so cute. achillies-eel, thanks for the wonderful request, I thoroughly enjoyed the product myself. Please leave a review! Gimmi all your comments on these gushy Hughes/Ed scenes!

_[Note: I actively take story plot requests, and those I complete are classified as "Gift Wrapped." Check out my profile for more details.]_


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